


No other shade of blue

by carsneedle



Category: The Killing
Genre: ABC fic, F/M, basically I saw a gif on Tumblr and was like hmm I'm interested in this, drable, nothing like getting into a show from 2014, nothing really explicit but maybe a little language
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:22:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 2,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27921463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carsneedle/pseuds/carsneedle
Summary: ABC drable fic for my new fave OTP from The Killing. Title from Hoax by Taylor Swiftnotes for episodes or AU'sawake-backseat-contact-date-embrace-future-gossip-hope-intimate-jacket-kiss-laundry-mess-need-ocean-proposal-quest-red-sick-time
Relationships: Stephen Holder/Sarah Linden
Comments: 4
Kudos: 15





	1. Awake

Linden woke up slowly, not sure where she was. She felt comfortable though. Not like being asleep on her desk, or in the reclined seat of the car. She usually jolted awake from wherever she had dropped, usually with some half-remembered nightmare lingering. 

She didn’t know why she was surprised at how homey his place was. The pillow and blankets smelled like laundry soap. She wished she could just accept the coffee, or him cooking breakfast. Accept him teasing Jack, or telling them they can stay longer. Accept it when he says that he’s got this and that they’re safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2.7
> 
> (In situations like this I always wanna know like what are the sleeping arrangements here?)


	2. Backseat

Between trying to balance the phone, her coffee cup, and the stop-and-go traffic in the rain, it wasn’t really her fault that she ran the red light. She hit the brakes hard to avoid the car in front of her. Her arm shot out to the passenger's side before she knew what she was doing.

“Damn Linden, did you just soccer mom me?” She turned to stare at her partner, who was wiping coffee off of his jacket.

“I’m gonna start riding the backseat if you’re gonna start spilling stuff on me, ” he teased. “That’s gonna leave a big bruise”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sometime during Season 1


	3. Contact

He wasn’t even sure what he was going on about. He didn’t mind sitting in the car with her in silence, but sometimes he liked to just talk. To see if he could make her laugh about something stupid. He wasn’t even sure if she was listening to him; she was focused on everything going on outside the car. 

She pulled her hair tie out, head turned as she shook her hair out, and he lost his train of thought as the reddish waves made contact with his arm. Later that night he dreamed of running his hands through it.


	4. Date

He wondered how much she heard, sneaking outside the door earlier. He dodged her question about what he was doing there at the water. He told her about the wiretap he set up, and couldn’t help but feel a little proud that she seemed impressed. Couldn’t help throwing in a couple of digs either, asking if she had any questions. He was surprised that she brushed things off, even made a little joke. Tension he didn’t even know he’d been holding in his shoulders released. 

“So what do you say? You wanna be my date tonight? Sit on a wire?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1.8


	5. Embrace

He thought to himself that he would remember the feeling of her warm hand on the back of his neck forever. How blue her eyes looked, matching her scarf. He closed his eyes, trying to commit to memory what it felt like to embrace her. He always forgot how small she was. There was so much more he wanted to say to her but he could only manage to whisper goodbye. 

He’d never let himself ever imagine anything like this, that she would show back up in her car, waiting for him. He’d hold her and never let her go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 4.6
> 
> These like two scenes live rent free in my head. So much tension!


	6. Future

It’s only after everything that he says it. After he hugs her again. After she kisses him softly. After they drive back to his place, both too shy to say anything in the car. After she kisses him again, and he kisses her back. After they lose various articles of clothing across various places in his apartment. 

He whispers it into her hair, not even sure if she’s awake. Not expecting anything in return. Not expecting her to turn over and say it back to him, the emphasis on the words like she was the one who said it first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After the end
> 
> “Finally he spoke the three simple words that no amount of bad art or bad faith can ever quite cheapen. She repeated them, with exactly the same slight emphasis on the second word, as though she were the one to say them first. He had no religious belief, but it was impossible not to think of an invisible presence or witness in the room, and that these words spoken aloud were like signatures on an unseen contract.”  
> ― Ian McEwan, Atonement


	7. Gossip

He should have known better than to mention that he’d talked to Linden about this new case with the girl. He should have known dumbass Reddick would run his mouth and say something stupid, just like he always did. Cheapen things. It wasn’t even the insinuation that he should know if the carpet matched the drapes. (Not that he’d wondered once or twice). It was that Reddick said she was a bad first partner. He told him it wasn’t like that, maybe should have said more. 

She was a good cop. And a good partner. Even if she’d forgotten it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2.3
> 
> this one was so hard to get to 100 words...first it was too short, then too long


	8. Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First Words Soul Mate Tattoo AU

Linden was never one to have any hope about soul mates. It’s not like she knew anyone that things had worked out for. A really terrible part of her deep down knew that maybe that was the reason why she never fully gave herself over to anyone. Why she was still here in her office even though she was supposed to be leaving on the plane shortly. 

Those words marked on her hip were so generic anyway. 

“What are you doing here?” She wasn’t expecting to hear them from the tall and lanky guy who just busted into her office.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1.1


	9. Intimate

Greg called her baby. It seemed cute to her when she was young. Rick always called her dear. Only later she realized there was a slight patronizing tone to it. One time Skinner had actually called her by his wife’s name. Cody called her sweetheart, in a way that made her roll her eyes. 

He felt better than she’d never imagined (not that she would admit there had been imagining, or a dirty dream or two). It was the intimacy of the way he whispered her name in her ear (Sarah, Sarah, Sarah) that finally sent her over the edge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After the end, and probably just before my fic for F


	10. Jacket

“Where’s he going?” the girl asked. Linden wasn’t surprised that Holder had picked her up, or that she seemed to trust him. Linden had to admit that she was proud of him in a way. He had been a little impressive, showing up at her door in that suit. Plus, she kind of liked the kid. She was tough. 

The door to the trunk of the car slammed shut. 

“What is he doing? He looks like an idiot.” 

It was hard to keep the smile from her face. 

She had to admit that he looked good in his old jacket.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 3.5


	11. Kiss

She was pissing him off, acting all defeated and giving up. He wasn’t sorry for all the shit he said either, about always leaving and losing people. It was true and she needed to hear it. 

He was maybe just a little sorry that he promised he’d never try to kiss her again. 

Later, when he was sober, he had to admit it would have been for all the wrong reasons at the moment, but he had to admit to himself it wasn’t just because she was a person who happened to be there. It was because it was her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 3.10


	12. Laundry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> College AU

It was late at night, but she figured out it’s the best time to do laundry. All the machines in the dorm were free. Plus, if she propped the window open she could smoke. 

She jumped when the door slammed open. “My bad,” the tall blond guy muttered. His basket was caught on the door. He stopped, like he wasn’t sure if he was bothering her or not. She watched him load the machine out of the corner of her eye. 

“Yo,” he approached her. She had to tilt her head up to make eye contact. “You got a light?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I could probably write a whole high school or college AU, I think it would be really fun. This is inspired by the first time they met with Holder knocking her box off the desk


	13. Mess

She seemed fine when she asked what he had, and said that they didn’t have a lot of time. It wasn’t until she repeated what she’d already said about the key card that he realized what a mess she was, staring out the window. He told her to look at him, and could see that her blue eyes were foggy and distant. Her hair was coming loose from her ponytail. 

She leaned closer to him. 

“Please don’t leave me here,” she whispered. 

“I’m going to get you out of here,” he promised. “You hear? I’m not leaving you in here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2.10


	14. Need

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animal Shelter AU

She didn’t know what made her drive over to the animal shelter. She probably couldn’t even keep a goldfish alive, or a plant. Who was she kidding? She sometimes forgot to take care of herself. 

The blonde guy who was working seemed a little rough; he didn’t notice her as she came in. He was crouched near the front desk with a large dog next to him, rubbing its ears and talking in a silly voice. He stood up when he realized she was there.

“Yo, feel free to look around,” he said. “Let me know if you need anything.”


	15. Ocean

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Road Trip AU

It’s less than 4 hours to the ocean from the city. Linden slept the whole way-he figured she was still getting whatever drugs they’d given her out of her system. Not much of a road trip. He hadn’t stopped for any snacks, didn’t turn the radio up. No stopping at any weird roadside attractions. 

He pulled the car straight onto the beach. She jolted awake, but relaxed when she saw him. She stretched as they got out of the car. 

The sun was starting to set. He handed her a cigarette. 

“Just thought we could use a break,” he said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2.10


	16. Proposal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> High School AU

The low whistle came from the desk behind her. 

“Damn, did you even study?” the guy asked. She flipped the paper over to hide the failing grade that was noted in red pen. She couldn’t remember talking to him in the couple weeks she’d been at this new school, other than to throw him a few dirty looks when his long legs encroached into her space. 

She turned around, ready to glare. His hood was pulled up, but he was smirking in a way that wasn’t completely unfriendly. 

“Listen, if you need a tutor, boss, I’m pretty good at Algebra.”


	17. Quest

She came barreling around the corner like a person on a singular quest; Holder could hear here calling his name, and yelling . There was still blood down the front of her sweater. 

The tone of her voice terrified him as she pleaded with him to come over to her, to not open the trunk. He’d never heard her sound like that before. Not even with her own kid, or any of the crying women or upset teens they’d ever encountered. He could read it on her face, knew exactly what he’d find even as he knew he’d open it anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 3.9


	18. Red

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soul Mate Colorblindness AU

He had to admit afterward, it was actually kinda romantic the way that it happened. He used to wonder if maybe it would never happen for him, that he’d spend the rest of his life just seeing in black and white. Spend his whole life waiting for someone else to understand him. It was that way for some people. Sometimes things just didn’t work out. 

He hit the door to the office on accident with the box, he was so distracted. She seemed so annoyed at him too. 

The first thing he noticed was the red color of her hair.


	19. Sick

His stomach dropped as he heard her voice, heard her say something about a gun being pointed at her. Heard her say some of those things about herself, the job, her son. Things he knew she’d never say out loud that she now had to be desperate enough to say not only to the pastor but also to anyone else listening. 

“Come on Linden, just keep him talking,” he whispered. 

He should have been there in the car, been there to protect her. But he also knew her well enough to know that she was perfectly capable of saving herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 3.8


	20. Time

She looked good when she answered the door, with her hair down. He actually believed her when she said she’d quit smoking. He thought he’d get her attention, talking about the Seward case, asking her about where the file was. He’d left the file for this new case too. Maybe too much time had passed, and he didn’t know her the way he thought he did anymore. He couldn’t believe that she of all people was standing there, telling him that not every victim was worth it. 

“Never thought the day would come I’d hear that from you,” he said

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 4.1


End file.
